


Say something

by Never laugh at a live Sherlock (smaugholmeswatson)



Series: Fixing what never should have been broken [4]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Death, Crying, Emotional Roller Coaster, Episode: s03e02 The Sign of Three, Episode: s04e01 The Six Thatchers, I am a mean person, Loosely based on, M/M, Pain, Sad Ending, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson's Wedding, Sherlock Needs A Hug, something goes wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2017-09-14
Packaged: 2018-12-25 16:29:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12039798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smaugholmeswatson/pseuds/Never%20laugh%20at%20a%20live%20Sherlock
Summary: The day of Sherlock and John's wedding has finally arrived and everyone is looking forward to the big day.But danger lurks in the shadows and before too long one of the attendees is shot and everything descends into chaos. Needless to say it isn't the day Sherlock and John were planning...This is a continuation on from "Do we have to wait?" and I want to apologise now for the dark turn this series has taken. So much for the fluffy little fics I was hoping to write.





	Say something

I can barely keep still in my excitement. Here I stand at the front of a room filled with close friends and family while I wait for John Watson to walk through the doors and down the aisle. I haven't seen him since last night (he insisted on following the old tradition of the groom not seeing the bride before the ceremony) and I am already missing him. I think this is the longest we have ever been apart. 

The room is filled with the steady buzz of conversation; the sort you only get when a large crowd is awaiting something with anticipation. A feeling of warmth floods through me. There were times I honestly didn't think we would make it to this day, which makes me all the more grateful for being able to stand here today. A grin spreads across my face and I turn to the man standing beside me. While to many (mostly Greg) he had seemed like an odd choice considering everything he has done, it wouldn't have felt right if he wasn't here. Yes our relationship may be strained, but despite everything he has done he is still my brother. 

Without needing him to say anything I know Mycroft feels the same way. He smiles back at me, clears his throat and says, "Are you ready for this little brother?" He waits for me to nod in acknowledgement before he carries on talking, his voice catching towards the end of the sentence. "From the moment you met him I knew John Watson would be good for you. After that unfortunate incident with Eurus when you were young, mummy and I were worried you'd never develop proper emotions. I'm glad you've managed to prove us otherwise." 

Before I can even begin to question him as to what he means the first swelling chords of 'It's all about you' by Mcfly announce that John is about to make his entrance. I stand up a little straighter and turn to face the doors now swinging slowly open. I'll ask Mycroft later about the incident he's referring to and about whoever this 'Eurus' could be. After all none of us are going anywhere. 

The murmur of conversation drops away to nothing as gradually, one by one, the assembled people also turn towards the back of the room. I meanwhile take a deep breath in an attempt to steady the nerves currently making my hands shake. I shouldn't be feeling like this. I should be happy but I can't not shake the feeling that something is going to happen... 

The thought is quickly driven from my head however when John finally makes his entrance and the rest of the world simply drops away. My heart hammers in my chest. Like me he is wearing a black suit and a white shirt with a tie, which are all things he doesn't usually wear. He looks incredibly handsome in them. John is well aware of this little fact apparently judging by the swagger in his step and the wink he gives me when he steps up beside me and reaches to take my hand. For a moment his gaze settles on Mycroft and a dark expression flickers across his face. After what I told him I don't think John will ever be able to forgive him. All I can do is hope John is able to hold his tongue until after the reception. I really don't want our wedding day to be spoilt by a family argument. 

"You ready?" I ask with a grin, trying to distract John. It's an obvious tactic but one which John falls for. 

John returns my grin, his eyes sparkling as he squeezes my hand. "More than ready." He says softly before he turns to the Minister and nods to show we are ready to begin. I continue to watch him for a moment, still hardly able to believe this is finally happening. Within the hour John and I will be happily married husbands... 

My train of thought is broken by the Minister clearing his throat and beginning the ceremony, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of Sherlock Holmes to John Watson on this most beautiful of days..." It's true. Today really is a beautiful day. I was glad when I woke up this morning to find bright sunshine streaming through the window after several days of non-stop rain. It'll hopefully make for good wedding photo's- realising I am getting distracted I force myself to focus again on the Minister. He has just gotten to the 'does anyone know of any reason why these two people should not be married' part of the ceremony. Because I'm so confident no one could possibly have a reason (anyone can see that John and I are simply meant to be) I am shocked when I hear a voice from the crowd behind us. A cold shiver runs down my spine. 

"Actually, yes, I can think of a reason." The voice snaps. Beside me John tenses in obvious preparation to act and I grip his hand a little tighter. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. "Why the hell should you two get to be happy when the love of my life is dead!" 

Muffled gasps echo from around the room and I find myself joining them. What is going on? Who on earth is this person and what could I have possibly done to hurt them? Slowly, not wanting to startle them with any sudden moves, I turn to face him, letting go of John's hand despite his quiet protest. Close to the front of the room a man stands in the aisle. He is tall and thin with the sort of unremarkable face that easily blends in with the background. Though I frantically rack my brains I honestly can not say if I have ever seen him before. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met." 

The man's face twists into a glare of pure hatred and I feel the first stirrings of fear. Whatever happened must have been truely terrible to have affected this guy so deeply. "No, we personally haven't met Mr Holmes. It was my partner who had the misfortune of crossing paths with you! You might possibly remember him because, unlike you, he stayed dead." The man says, never taking his eyes off me. 

John lets out a gasp and tugs on my sleeve. "Oh God, is he talking about Moriarty? He is, isn't he?" He stutters in obvious shock, struggling to process the information we are being told. 

Unwilling to voice the truth out loud I ignore John and continue to watch the man confronting me. His entire body is on edge and I realise it wouldn't take much to push him over entirely. Somehow I need to keep him carefully and prevent this situation from spiralling out of control. So much for the perfect wedding day I was hoping for. I should have known that normal was too much to ask for. "You have me at a disadvantage. You know my name but I don't know yours." Please let this work. Maybe if I know his name I can figure out how to deal with him. 

The man shakes his head, the movement a little on the twitchy side for my liking. "You wouldn't have heard of me. I'm Sebastian Moran." Some of the tension eases from his shoulders and I breath a sigh of relief. It is short lived however because Moran glances over at John and a hard expression makes his green eyes turn cold. "No, no, no. You don't get to do that. You don't get to be all chatty and nice after what you did to Jim! He's dead because you refused to listen to him! Instead you tried to be the god damn hero just like you always do." His voice rises, breaking towards the end into what could almost be sobs. "We should have guessed you'd do something stupid like fake your own death because your arrogance wouldn't allow you to actually listen to somebody for once!" Tears stream down his cheeks. 

By now Greg and the other Metropolitan Police officers present have started to slowly converge on the man, obviously intending to grab him before he can get any more hysterical. I motion them back however. Greg frowns but stops, gesturing for the other officers to do the same. By now he has learnt to trust my judgement. On this occasion though he should have ignored me. 

I go to take a step towards Moran; to comfort him or grab him I don't know and I never get a chance to find out. The second I start moving Moran bares his teeth in a silent snarl, then draws a gun from beneath his jacket, points it in my direction and pulls the trigger. 

For a brief, and potentially fatal second, my usually finally honed instincts desert me and I freeze. I know I should be leaping out of the way or trying to protect John, but instead all I can do is stand there and wait for the impact. 

When it comes however it is lower than I expected, hitting me in the stomach with considerable force and knocking me backward off my feet. Screams fills the air and Moran lets out a bellow as Greg and his fellow officers descend on him. I hit the floor hard, knocking the air from my lungs and sending a painful jolt running up my spine. A groan escapes me when I come to a stop with my face staring at the ceiling. It takes a moment for reality to start filtering back in again. 

"Sherlock!" John cries, his voice panicked. Within seconds he is by my side and before I can protest, he has gathered me to his chest in a tight hug. I tense, expecting agonising pain to sweep through my stomach and am a little surprised when I only feel the dull ache throbbing in my back from where I hit the floor. "Thank God you're ok." He murmurs, leaning down to kiss me. At the same time however I can't help but notice he's crying. 

I reach up to lightly brush the tears away. Surely he should be happy I escaped being shot... a horrible thought comes to me. Who took that bullet for me? My throat tight I can barely force out the words to ask, "John, what happened?" 

When John only cries harder I know something terrible must have happened. It is at times like these I hate my powers of deduction and observation because I know exactly who saved my life- and what it cost them to do so. John makes no move to stop me as I shrug out of his embrace and turn slowly to face Mycroft. Even though I already knew what I would be faced with, my legs shake and almost buckle as I kneel down beside him. There is blood everywhere and I feel a little sick when it soaks into the knees of my trousers. 

Mycroft's breathing is laboured and his eyes are full of pain as he gazes up at me. One of his hands is pressed to the wound in his chest but it does nothing to stem the flow of blood. I swallow hard, trying to hold back the panic I can feel trying to rise up and engulf me. I can't allow myself to give into it however. If I do that I'll break down right here in the hall in front of all these people. Much better to leave such a thing for a more private setting. I don't want people knowing how pathetic and emotional I have become since my return. "Mycroft?" I ask, unable to keep the shake from my voice. 

The ghost of a smile appears on Mycroft's face. "I'm sorry Brother Mine for what I did to you." His voice is little more than a whisper and it appears to cost him some considerable effort to force each word out. His fingers over his wound flutter weakly and I grip his hand tightly, ignoring the wince of pain that flashes across his face. 

I swallow hard. This can't be happening! Out of everything in my life, along with John, Mycroft has been the one constant presence I knew I could always rely on to always be there. My body begins to shake uncontrollably and a single tear runs down my cheek. This isn't how our relationship is supposed to end, not when there's still so much I need to say to him... 

Mycroft coughs, blood trickling from the side of his mouth as a violent shudder runs through his body. "Sherlock," he gasps, pulling me in closer. His light blue eyes have taken on a glazed quality that makes my heart skip a beat in fear. Please! I need more time! "You have to find Eurus. You have to tell her that it is possible for bridges to be rebuilt." His voice trails away to nothing and his eyes flicker closed for long enough to make my heart stop. 

Knowing it'll hurt him but too afraid to really care I lightly shake him, not stopping until his eyes are open and focused on me again. "Who is this Eurus, Brother? Why is it so important that I find her?" 

Mycroft doesn't answer and simply grips my hand a little tighter. "Though I don't always show it very well I do love you little brother. You are, and always will be, dear to my heart." His eyes stare directly into mine long enough for me to see the love shining in them. Then, like the slow fade at the end of a film, the light glowing in them vanishes, leaving them blank and vacant. It doesn't really sink in however until his limp hand slips out of mine. 

A scream is torn from my throat. "No! Mycroft!" Clutching my brother tightly to my cheat I begin to sob. This can't be happening! Mycroft can't be...can't be...dead. John kneels down beside me and lays a hand on my shoulder. I ignore him, only having eyes for Mycroft. Behind me I hear Moran laughing as he is lead away by Greg and I grit my teeth, just about managing to stop myself from swinging for him. I don't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much this has affected me. 

Even in death Moriarty has proved to be an opponent who should never be underestimated. Somehow, despite me saving my friends from his gun men and dismantling this network, Moriarty managed to win. After everything he has done he has finally found a way to hurt me... 

But then again, even though Mycroft is gone, I still have John. I still have the love of my life by my side for as long as we both shall live. Slowly, and a little reluctantly, I lay Mycroft's body on the floor and force myself to turn away. John looks at me with tears in his eyes and an expression of sorrow on his face. Still, despite this, he reaches out to wrap his arms around me. At the same time I finally allow myself to break down, safe in the knowledge the the one I love is there to pick up the pieces and help me through my grief. Though Mycroft may be gone I still have something to live for. And that's got to be worth something. 


End file.
